The new Normandy Chair for Peace "Memory and Future of Peace, law, history, and neuroscience for sustainable peace" was officially launched on Tuesday, 18 March by the Normandy Region and the University of Caen, in partnership with the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace.
In a world under tension and as geopolitical tensions and democratic crises multiply, "thinking about peace" is an essential reflection.
An interdisciplinary approach to building peace
The new 2025-2027 chair is developing an interdisciplinary approach to building peace, bringing together researchers in law, history, and neuroscience. Its dual objective is to understand how sciences can shed light on the role of law in the construction and preservation of sustainable peace and to offer insights to anticipate future challenges.
"Faced with threats to peace, it is crucial to reflect on the conditions that allow it to be preserved and consolidated. This chair is based on an interdisciplinary approach that combines the perspectives of law, history, and neuroscience to analyze how peace is built and maintained in our societies. With this initiative, the University of Caen Normandy and the Normandy Region confirm their commitment to engaging in research grounded in the realities of the world and resolutely oriented towards the future. By investing in this chair, we offer researchers a stimulating environment to produce high-level analyses on fundamental issues."
Lamri Adoui, President of the University of Caen Normandy
An internationally renowned chair
This chair will help make Normandy a global reference on these issues by promoting collaboration between researchers, doctoral students, and academic institutions from different countries, and by relying on a network of international partnerships, including universities in Armenia, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Securing the prestigious sponsorship of Jane Goodall
The eminent figure in the defense of human rights and environmental protection, through her foundation, constitutes a decisive contribution to this project. This alliance with a respected personality in the promotion of peace and human rights is a guarantee of credibility and international reach.
"This chair aims to be a place for the production of knowledge and the dissemination of information on peace and its contemporary issues. It seeks to unite researchers and institutions, while drawing on the historical and memorial richness of Normandy. Through its theme, this chair aligns with the strategic orientations of Normandy for Peace and contributes to positioning Normandy as a leading territory in the culture of peace."
François-Xavier Priollaud, Vice-President for Europe, International Affairs, and Outreach of the Normandy Region
The launch in September 2025 of a university diploma (DU) in peace and human rights education
This university diploma (DU) represents a strategic axis to ensure quality training for future professionals working in the fields of peace, mediation, and human rights defense. This diploma enhances the academic credibility and grounding of the "Memory and Future of Peace" Chair in a process of transmitting essential knowledge and professional skills for the consolidation of peace.
"Thanks to the collaboration between laboratories and partners, the University will not only deepen research on crucial topics but also strengthen training and the dissemination of knowledge. We are proud to promote education in citizenship and human rights, while raising awareness in civil society about issues of peace and justice."
Julie Barenton-Guillas, Vice-President for Higher Education, Research, Innovation, Digital, and Health of the Normandy Region
The dissemination of the Chair's actions to high school students in Normandy and more broadly on a national and international scale
By directly involving the youth, the aim is to raise awareness among future citizens about the issues of peace, memory, and human rights, while encouraging them to become agents of change at both local and global levels. In connection with the Normandy Forum for Peace, the research and publications of associated researchers can be disseminated to young people and the general public during conferences or debates.
"Through its theme, this chair helps position Normandy as a leading territory in the field of Peace. I am pleased with the presence of the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace alongside you, thus aligning with our common strategic orientations."
Nicole Ameline, former minister, President of the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace
A strong foundation in research and innovation
The creation of this chair is part of a broader dynamic of strengthening research at the University of Caen Normandy. It benefits from the support of the CaeSAR program ("Caen, strategy for acceleration in research"), winner of the "Excellence in all its forms" call for projects, funded equally by the National Research Agency under France 2030 and the Normandy Region. The Normandy Chair for Peace, which is fully integrated into this dynamic of excellence and international collaboration, benefits from funding of €615,000 from the Normandy Region and a contribution of €300,000 from the University of Caen Normandy as part of the CaeSAR project.
Normandy for Peace: an international commitment
A think tank for sustainable peace on an international scale, the Normandy for Peace program was born from the will of the Normandy Region. It aims to continue the work of remembrance carried out since World War II. Throughout the year, initiatives, labeled projects, and events highlight the values of peace and freedom dear to Normandy. Since 2019, the Region has been developing a system contributing to academic research and the training of high-level researchers.
